Story+1999-09-20+Philadelphia,+PA

”(sings ´Take Me to the River’) That´s right....take it easy now....that´s right....that´s where I wanna go....I wanna go to the river of life.....and the river of love....and the river of companionship...I wanna go there tonight and I want you to go with me....because I need to go with you.....because you can’t get there by yourself....you might think that you can and everybody at some time in their life, they think that they can but in the end.....in the end you can´t get there by yourself....you´ve got to have help....well, I found myself, as a young man, standing one evening....before a dark grove of trees and I was frightened to pass through those trees even though I knew that the river of life and of meaningful life was waiting for me on the other side of that forest....but I stood there paralyzed....couldn´t move, my legs were like stone (?)....and then through....(?) through the trees I saw a light and there was a gypsy woman standing, standing outside an air-stream trailer and in front of her she had one of those crystal balls....and I went up and I told her my problems, of my lack of courage, about how I couldn´t move on and she said ´What your problem is, Mr.Indepedence, is that you need a band, you need some help to get where (?)´.....and so I’d like to introduce tonight the dean of the university of musical perversity, the Secretary of intelligence, on the piano, Professor Roy Bittan.....with me at the riverside....I´d like to introduce the Secretary of friendship, keeper of all that is righteous here on E Street, Little Steven Van Zandt on the guitar....stand with me, Brother, at the riverside....I´d like to introduce the foundation of the E Street nation, on the bass guitar, Mr.Garry W.Tallent, Southern man....with me at the riverside....I´d like to introduce the Secretary of syncopation, the Minister of the big beat, star of Late Night, Mr.Mighty Max on the drums.... standing with me at the riverside....I´d like to introduce the Secretary of heart and spirit, the Godfather of the guitar, Mr.Nils Lofgren.....with me at the riverside, I´d like to introduce the Minister of mystery and all things unfathomable in this life, Phantom Dan Federici on the organ....with me at the riverside....and now brunettes are fine, blondes are fun but when it comes to getting a serious job done, it takes a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) yeah, man, I got to find a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I´m searching for a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I said I´ve got to find a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I´m looking for a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I need, I need to find a (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) I´ve got to find my (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) (?) (crowd :‘Red Headed Woman’) ladies and gentlemen, the First Lady of love, Secretary of sweet harmony, on the guitar, Miss Patti Scialfa..... standing with me at the riverside....thank you, baby....but now, there was still something missing.....I made it to the banks of the river and I saw people gathered all around, their hands in the air....there was still something missing.....something essential....something important.....something that we could not go on without.....I´m talking about the Minister of soul, the Secretary of brotherhood, do I have to say his name ?....say who ?...say who ?....say who ? ....say who ?....say who ?.... say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ? ....say who ?....say who ?...”
 * 20.09.99 Philadelphia, PA, middle of ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´**

´´This is for the folks that are with us tonight from the Kensington Welfare Rights Union.... (?) you´ll see them out in the lobby, they´re a (?) organization owned by (?) homeless people and if you believe that we all have a right to a home and minimum wage and health care for every American family and for children....(?) in the coming century with the economy building, America has a historic opportunity and an obligation to live up to its promise of equal opportunity and economic justice for all....well, the Kensington Welfare Rights Union are based right here in Philadelphia and they´re working towards that goal, in October they´ll be conducting the March of the Americas march into Washington D.C, to the United Nations´ in New York....(?) human rights to food, housing and education and (?) economic human rights campaign....so when you go out into the lobby tonight, check ´em out.... they´re here in your town, they deserve your support, Kensington Welfare Rights Union, this is for you....”
 * 20.09.99 Philadelphia, PA, intro to ´The Ghost of Tom Joad´**

´´Well, now, everybody knows what it´s like...to have something (?)...to have something wonderful and to not....appreciate it....until it´s too late....and you wake up one morning and....”
 * 20.09.99 Philadelphia, PA, intro to ´Back In Your Arms’**

´´Philadelphia, PA !...I said Philadelphia, PA !...home of Benjamin Franklin and Smokin´Joe Frasier....and everywhere I´ve gone I´ve seen people lost in the wilderness....everywhere I´ve gone, I´ve seen people lost in loneliness....everywhere I´ve gone, I´ve seen people lost in confusion....lost in them cheesesteaks, mamas lost on parades, well, we´re here tonight on a search-and-rescue mission, that´s right, we´re here tonight on a search-and-rescue mission, if you´ve been downhearted, disspirited, disgusted, dispossessed, downsized, analyzed, stigmatised, pass-the-tax-cut-for-the-rich-Republicanised, it ain´t too late to repent your evil ways.... retropsychedelicized, Pokemonized, I´m here tonight, I´m here tonight to re-educate you, to resuscitate you, to regenerate you, to reconfiscate you, to reindoctrinate you, to resexualate you, to rededicate you, to reliberate you with the power and the promise, the majesty, with the mystery, with the ministry of rock and roll !....that´s right....that´s right .... that´s right....now unlike my competitors, I shall not, I will not, I can not promise you life everlasting but I can promise you life right now !....and all you´ve got to do is raise your hand and say ´I´....”
 * 20.09.99 Philadelphia, PA, middle of ´Light of Day´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//